Automatic car-coupling.



No. 849,042. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

' T. G. BLAGKMAN, JR.

AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLING.

APPLIQATIONIIILED'NOV.3.1905) mum;

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art-52 W THOMAS G. BLACKMAN, JR., ctr AVAILABLE co Specification of Letters Patent.

OF' GRACEVILLE, FLORIDA.

AUTOMATIC GAE-COUPLING.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed November 3, 1905. Serial No, 285,750.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. BLACKMAN, Jr., a citizen of the United State -residing at Graceville, in the county of Jackson and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic'oar-couplers. comprising a knuckle which swings in a horizontal plane and a locking pin or abutment in the head which functions as a'lock-set and knuckle-opener and is so constructed and disposed that it is positively forced into locking position by the incom'm knuckle. J

It is t e object of my invention to provide a couplingwhich shall o'ssess the maximum durability and stren th and with but two movable parts act to ock, set, and open'the knuckle positively. I propose to use anangular locking device loosely pivoted in the draw-head and disposed centrally thereof. The device swings on itsv ivot in a substantially vertical longitudina plane through the coupling, its lower end being disposed 1n the pat of the incoming knuckle-shank and engaged thereby to force its u per end between shoulders on the head. an shank, thereby locking the latter against outward movement. The operating rod or chain for the .device is connected thereto at the outer portion of its upper end, so that it acts both to rock the device on its pivot and also to'lift itbodily. The'first movement locks the knuckle, the second causes a shoulder on the device to catch on a portion of the knuckle-shank and set the device for uncoupling. If the lifting movement of the device be continued, it will be rocked on its pivot upon reaching the end of its vertical play, which movement brings its lower end into positive engagement with the knuckle-shank in a manner to'force or prize it outwardly to open the knuckle.

- tional view taken along the line a; m of Fig. 1,

'plan view of the knuckle.

at or near its central point by a pin 5.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig 2, illustrating the manner in which the locking device acts as a knuckle-opener, the knuckle standing in open position ready for coupling. Fig. 5 is a front view with the knuckle. broken away along the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail Fig. 7 isa side elevation of Fig. 6 looking from the right.

Similar reference-numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

- In its preferred form I have illustrated my invention as applied to a draw-head 1, having a transverse horizontal recess, into which the, shank 2 of the knuckle 3 is adapted to swing. The draw-head is provided with ears 4, between which the knuckle is pivoltpld e shank is formed so that a portion of it stands flush with the outer concave face of the draw-head when in a coupled position. To this extent my present invention proposes to embody the advantages and improvements claimed in Letters Patent N 0. 502,274, granted to me on the 1st day of Augllst, 1893. When the knuckle is in its coupled position, the rear side of the shank engages the inner wall of the recess on the draw-head, thereby making the construction very compact and reqgiirin'g only a minimum amount of metal to e taken out of the draw-head for the reception of the knuckle-shank and locking do J vlces.

My improved locking means for the knuckle comprises an integrallocking device 6, dis posed within a vertical recess 23 in the head and substantially semicircular in shape. The particular configuration. of this locking member may be varied in many ways, the essential features .of its construction consisting in the angular disposition of its upper or locking end or head 7 and its lower end or ivot-o ening 9. Apin 10, serving as a ivot or the ocking device, is passed transversely through the head and through the elongated opening 9. The end 7 of the device is bifurcated, and a rod 11 is pivotally connectwl therein in any suitable manner. This rod projects through an opening 12 in'the top of the head, where it is connected. to suitable operating devices, such as a lever 13. The

tailpiece 8 with relation to the elongated locking device is provided with a lo'ckeset projection or shoulder 4 between its ends 7 and 8. p d

The knuckle is provided .with a shank of peculiar configuration comprising a" slanting face 15, commencing at the point 16 at the front of the knuckle and slanting from this "point back to a point 17. The point 16 forms the apex of a shoulder 18, which tapers down to the point 17, which is above the lane of the reduced end 19 of the shank. ,rom the point 17 the shank is provided with a vertical face leading from the slanting face down to a recess or groove 20, extending to the end of portion 19 of the. shank on its rear side. The bottom wall or floor of this recess slants inwardly, as best seen in Figs. 2

wall disposed substantially parallel to and separated several inches from the.shoulder 18 of the shank. As seen in Fig. 4, the end 7 of the locking device is disposed between these two shoulders, and it thus opposes the out ward movement of the shank with its full crushing strength. When in this position, the shoulder 14 rests against'the rear side of the shank, andthe lower end 8 ofthe-device swings free of the shank in the recess 22, which forms a continuation ofthe narrow vertical chamber 23, Fig. 1, in which the lockin device is disposed. -To permitthe, knuck e to open for uncoupling,the locking device is lifted by the rod 11 until its end 7 is lifted clear of the shoulder 18. -As it moves to this position it is lifted bodily until the shoulder 14 rises above the recess 20 in the rear side of the shank. The action of the rod 11 in lifting the locking device against its pivot-pin 10 .will draw the shoulder 14 outwardly, so that its tapering bottom-will rest upon and be held by the slanting floor of the recess if the rod is released. This leaves the locking device in the position shown in Fig. 3, where the knuckle is still in coupled position, as shown in Fig. 2. The shoulder 14 thus holds the locking device in a position for uncoupling, and therefore constitutes what. is termed a lock-set. When the locking device is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the shank is free to swing outwardly,-

as the tapering face 15 of the shank will ass under the head 7 of the device, which wi 1 be lifted slightly as the slanting floor of the recess -20;moves out from under the shoulder 14. Upon the disengagement of the shoul-' der 14 from the shank the end 7 of the lock.- ing'device falls upon the slanting face 15 of the shank and rests thereon. As the shank is moved inwardly the face 15 passes from under the end 7 of the locking device, and

immediately thereafter the rear side of the shank strikes the shoulder 14 of the locking device, forcing the locking device positively to its locking osition between the shoulders '18 and 21; j y raisin the rod 11thelower end 8 of the locking evioe will be-broug'ht ge holdingthe operating-lever 13 t e device wil This is best seen in Fig. 4, and itwil be evident that'my invention re iiires the least :possible amount of metal to e' takenoutof the head and at a point where it. effects its strength least- The; manner in which the shank rests a ainst the rear'wal-l of the recess and stands ush with the -face of the head to resist jamming as if the parts were integral. It is also to be noted that the lockingdevice is dis osed so as tobe operated from the center 0 the head, which is considered a point-"of advantage in practice over dev1ces which are'operated from the sides of the head;

. The free manner in which the lockin deviceis pivoted enables it to jump away om the shank when 'it is struck a violent blow, which is of great advantage in preserving the lockin dance against breaka e.- However,

to its pivot-pin 10, which latter maybe extended to the side ofthe headand be'pro-I .the loc i'ng device may be rigidly connected vided with i a crank by means of which the locking device may. beopeyatpd from the side of the car and withoutfising the rod ll and.

lever 13 for thispurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toseeure by Let ters Patent, is

1, .An automatic coupling comprising a re-' cessed draw-head, a knuckle ivoted thereto and provided with a shanka pte'dtoswing' into the recess in said head,shoulders onsaid I. head and shank, and a locking-device-dis- Y posed in said head and adapted tocbe en gaged bysaid shankias-it moves inwardl' to couple and forced" thereby positively an i 3;.

dependently of gravity between said shoulw ders to complete lockedrposition, substa'ni tially as described.

2. An automatic couplin comprisin arecessed draw-head, a knuc'k e ivoted-t ereto and provided with ashanka apted to swing into the recess in said head, a 'rocking angular'lockingdevice dispdsed in said head and adapted 'to be. engaged by said shank as it movesinwardly and thereby in a vertical plane longitudinally of the head until it is forced by said shank positively and independently of a gravity movement between ortions of the head and shank to complete ocked position.

3. An automatic coupling comprisin a recessed draw-head, a knuckle pivoted t ereto and provided with a-shank adapted to swing into the recess insaid head, an angular looking device loosely pivoted in the head. and

' having one end disposed in the path of said shank when in its open position and the other adapted to move toward the face of the head, and or'tions of the head and shank between whic said latter end is positively forced by the incoming shank independently of ag'ravity movement to complete locked position.-

4; Anautomatiocoupling comprising a recessed draw-head, a knuckle ivoted thereto and provided with a shank a apted to swing into the recess in said head, the rear side of said shank abutting throughout against the rear wall of said recess while the front side of the shank stands flush with the concave face of the draw-head, shoulders on said head and shank, and a lookingde'vice dis'posedin said head and adapted to bev engaged by said shank and forced thereby positively to complete locked position between'said shoulders,

substantially as and for the purposes de scribed.

5. An automatic coupling comprising a recessed draw-head, a knuckle ivoted thereto and provided with a shank adapted to swing into the recess in said head, sa1d shank hav-- ing a-reduced portion leaving a shoulder, a

. shouldered portion of 'the head forming part of the top of said recess and under which said reduced p orti on of the shank passes, said shank in its coupled position substantia'llyfifilling,

the recess in the head, its rear ed e t oughout abutting against the rear wa 'of the re cess and the ma'or portion of its front edge standing flush with the face of the draw-head and a locking device dis osed in the headand adapted to be move positively by said shank into the narrowopening between the said shouldered' ortions of the shank and head to lock the uckle;

6. In an automatic coupling comprising a recessed draw-head, a knuckle ivoted thereto and provided with a shan adapted to swing into the recess in said head, said shank 1 having a recess therein with an outwardly and downwardly slanting floor, -a. locking de vice adapted to be moved in an arcuate direction by the shank and forced into position to lock the latter, and means to lift-said device so that it engages in said recess in the shank and is held thereby out of operative position for locking the shank.

7. In an automatic coupler, a draw-head face and a narrow; vertical recess disposed 1o 'tudinally of the head and opening into sai first recess, a knuckle ivoted to the head, a tail-wing on the knuc e which swings into said horizontal recess andhas its rear ed e to conform with and engage the rear wail of thehorizontal recess, an angled looking device loosely pivoted in said vertical recess and so disposed that when in its open position its lower arm projects into the horizonis closed, the upper end of saidlocking device being adapted to be forced to complete locked position etween said shoulders and held there by the engagement of the shank with its lower arm. 7

8. anaa'ut omatic coupler, a recessed mg-head clears the face 15 and will force and lifted by said means.

. 9. In an automatic coupler, the combinaof'a rocking locking device comprisin a head, a tailpiece and a shoulder dispose toward the face of the draw=head, means to move said device, a tail-win on the knuckle hav}.

shoulder on the draw-head opposed to the shoulder 18, said tail-wing being adapted to engage the tailpiece of sald'device and force its head positively between said 0 posed device being adapted to be moved'into engagement withsaid shank and thereby hold said head in a position to clear said shoulder 18 and restupon'said face 15 as the knuckle opens.

. In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand in prese'nce of two" subscribing wit nesses.

THOMAS c. BLAckMAN, JR.

Witnesses: I

Tnos. J. WINGFIELD, Nome Wrinsn.

havinga shallow horizontal recess in its frontital recess, and shoulders on said head and shank which stand opposed when the knuckle 7 5 draw-head, a knuckle pivoted therein, a

e closes, itsshank will'engage the tailpiece of the device immediately after the lockpositively hold said locking-head between the shoulders 18 and 21 until the {device is shoulders, and said shoulder on the coking ioo tion with a draw-head and swinging knuckle,

I05 ing a shoulder ,18 an a slanting face 15, a 

